Concrete Contractor in Arcadia - Driveways and Patios Built on a Packed Base
Cornerstone Sierra Madre Concrete pours driveways, patios, walkways, steps and retaining walls for homes in Arcadia, CA. We're a concrete contractor based next door in Sierra Madre, and I run every job myself with our crew.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Replies within 1 business day.
Arcadia homes and the lots they sit on
Arcadia shares a border with our home base in Sierra Madre, so a lot of our calls come from here. Most of what we pour here is for single-family homes on good-sized lots. Some are older ranch houses still on their first driveway. Others are larger, newer homes with long driveways, wide aprons where the driveway meets the street and plenty of concrete out back. We do the same work over in Monrovia and down in El Monte, but an Arcadia job usually means more square footage and more old slab to haul away.
That size shapes the work, because a long driveway or a big patio is only as good as the ground under all of it. On older lots we often find concrete that's been patched, lifted or poured straight over loose dirt, so we usually start by breaking out a section to see what's really under there.
Our services in Arcadia, CA
- Concrete driveway building
Older Arcadia driveways often crack and sink because they sit on loose, unpacked dirt. We tear out the old slab, pack a new base and pour fresh.
- Concrete patio construction
Big back yards here mean a big patio, and a slab that size needs a slope away from the house. We check where your water runs before we set forms.
- Stamped concrete services
Larger Arcadia homes often want a driveway or patio that matches the stone or brick on the house. Our stamped concrete presses a pattern and color into the fresh slab.
- Concrete sidewalk building
Tree roots lift the front walk at many older Arcadia homes and leave an edge to trip on. We break out the raised sections, rebuild the base and pour them flat.
- Concrete retaining walls
Lots in north Arcadia climb toward the foothills, and a slope pushes hard on whatever holds it back. We build retaining walls on real footings with drainage behind.
- Concrete pool decks
Many Arcadia back yards have a pool, and the deck around it takes water and bare feet. We slope it to shed water and give it a finish that grips.
What Arcadia lots ask of a concrete slab
On many Arcadia properties the driveway is decades old, and the cracks and sunken corners usually trace back to what's underneath, not the concrete itself. The subgrade, the dirt the slab sits on, tells me whether packing it is enough or whether we have to dig out the soft soil first. It's a lot like setting a fence post. If nobody tamped the hole, the post leans no matter how good the post is, and a slab works the same way.
The price here moves mostly with the size of the job, how much old concrete comes out, how much base work the ground needs and the finish you pick. The schedule turns on the permit check before we start and on curing, which is the wait while new concrete hardens enough to take your feet and then your car. When I come out, the estimate gives you the figure for your own job.
Get a concrete estimate at your Arcadia home
Send us a few lines about your Arcadia project and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out myself, look at the slab and the ground, and write up a free estimate on site, with no obligation to hire us.
Driveway, patio and wall ideas
Arcadia concrete questions answered
Do I need a permit to replace my concrete driveway in Arcadia?
The City of Arcadia's Building Services office decides that. Its list of work that needs no permit covers things like painting and short fences, and concrete isn't on it. Before we start, I look into what your job needs. When a permit applies, we file it as the licensed contractor with our state license, city business license and workers' comp certificate. If you'd like to ask yourself, Building Services takes questions at (626) 574-5416.
Are there rules about paving the front yard of a house in Arcadia?
Yes, front yard paving has to follow the city's zoning rules whether or not the work needs a permit. That matters if you want to widen a driveway or pave over lawn, so I go over the layout with you before we draw it up. The city's Planning office answers zoning questions at (626) 574-5423.
Does my concrete contractor need an Arcadia business license?
Yes, every business that works in Arcadia needs a city business license unless state or federal law exempts it, and contractors based elsewhere carry it while they're on the job. They have to show it if a police officer or city staff asks. We're fully licensed and insured, and it's fair to ask any contractor for their state contractor's license and their Arcadia license, us included.
How much can a contractor ask for as a down payment in California?
No more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the total contract price, whichever is less. The state licensing board says that limit applies to all home improvement projects, so a concrete job at your Arcadia house falls under it. If someone asks for more up front, take that as a reason to slow down and ask questions.
How much does a new concrete driveway cost in Arcadia?
On most Arcadia driveways the biggest share of the cost is work you won't see, tearing out the old slab and digging out and packing a proper base. Thickness and rebar, the steel inside the slab that holds a crack tight, add some cost. A stamped or colored finish costs more than a broom finish, which is the light texture that keeps shoes and tires from slipping. If the budget gets tight, I'd cut the finish before the base, because a nice surface on a poor base cracks just the same.
What causes a concrete driveway to crack and sink?
Usually it's the ground underneath, dirt that was raked level instead of dug out and packed, so it settles and takes the slab down with it. Water running toward the house softens that ground, and joints that are cut late or skipped let the slab crack wherever it likes. We pack the base, slope the slab away from the house and cut control joints on time. Those are straight grooves that give the concrete a planned place to crack, so any crack in the new slab lands where we chose, not across the middle. Does that make sense? It's why I talk so much about the base.